Do you love animals? Maybe you enjoy getting licked by a dog, holding a snake on your shoulder, or petting the neighbor’s cat? If this describes you, you’ll be happy to know that you can keep your interests close and even get paid for your work.
While you might not be able to jump straight into a career surrounded by animals, there are plenty of side gigs that can get you close. You can get your furry fix and add some supplemental income. Here are a few examples you can consider to get started:
Pet Transportation
There is a growing market for pet transport that is perfect for people who enjoy being on the road. Let’s say a family plans on adopting a cat. The wrinkle is that the feline is located a few states over. Making the trip means taking time off work and spending a lot of money on gas. This is where pet transportation comes in.
As a way to make some extra cash, you play the role of the driver in this scenario. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to pick up the cat and take it to its new home. You’ll keep the client updated throughout the trip with text messages and photos, so they know that their new family member is in safe hands.
Dog Walking
If you have ever owned a dog, you know that they are very active animals that need to be walked regularly. Many families love their dogs, but don’t always have the time to take them on the daily walks they need. If parents both work and kids are at school, a dog walker is needed to make sure their pets are getting the exercise they need.
Dog walking can be a fairly easy job. You just need to be reasonably fit and good with animals. Hang on to a leash or two and enjoy a nice walk with your new furry friend. This is a great activity if you’re looking to be more active, as you’ll fit some extra exercise into your day. It doesn’t hurt to enjoy those perks while pocketing some additional spending cash too.
Animal Photographer
Are you good with a camera but don’t like working with humans? Train your lens on a couple of furry friends instead. Many pets are considered family, and what better way to keep them close than to have some professional photos taken.
The biggest thing to consider when it comes to photography is the equipment. A good camera will cost you a decent chunk of change, so this is more of an investment than other side gigs. Not to mention all of the lighting, props, and venues you might want to work around. This may be one of the more rewarding animal side gigs out there, but you can’t expect to just jump straight into it.
Content Creation
If you love animals of all shapes and sizes, why not create content about them? There are lots of different forms of content you can explore to express your love and make a little cash on the side. This side gig is the closest to a hobby that you can pursue while still getting paid to do it.
Start by deciding what platform you want to use. You can create short videos for TikTok, take photos for Instagram, write blog posts, or create YouTube videos. Each type of content requires a different skill set, and each platform will target a different audience. You can dabble on a few different platforms before deciding where to focus. As you grow your audience, you could even open up advertising space and accept brand deals to continue to fund your passion.
Pet Sitter
As great as pets can be, they don’t always travel well. Not all airlines allow pets, and even if they do, it’s not always convenient to take your dog with you on vacation. That’s why many families will look around for a pet sitter to check in on their animals throughout the duration of their trip.
Pet sitting is different from house sitting. You don’t have to stand guard at all hours of the day making sure the dog doesn’t get in trouble. Usually you’re only expected to check in once or twice a day to refill food and water bowls. You may also be asked to take the dog on the walk or clean out a cat’s litter box as needed. Sometimes families also want their funny friend to have a companion visit while they’re away.
Animal Stylist
If you have an interest in hairdressing but don’t want to interact with people, dog grooming might be for you. A clean and tidy pet is a happy and healthy one, but not all pet owners have the ability to lift their pet into the tub. And not all pets are happy to have a bath.
Offering to groom an individual’s pet can be a great opportunity to make some money. And a perk about being an animal stylist is that you don’t need to purchase any office space to operate. You can accomplish just as much by making house calls on the weekends. Just load your equipment into your car and bring the spa experience to the front door of every furry friend that requests your assistance.
It’s worth noting that in some states a dog grooming license or certificate is required before you start grooming as a profession. However, it may be as simple as sending in an application or taking an exam. It really varies based on the region you’ll be working in.
Do some research in your area to see what kind of demand there is for these skills. With a little preparation and effort you can find the perfect hustle that helps you boost your finances. And as an added perk, you can go home each day with an extra sense of fulfillment.